1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to television signal processing systems, and more particularly, to television signal processing systems capable of, among other things, receiving a signal indicating an emergency event and providing alert outputs to notify individuals of emergency events.
2. Background Information
Emergency events such as severe weather, natural disasters, fires, civil emergencies, war acts, toxic chemical spills, radiation leaks, or other such conditions can be devastating to unprepared individuals. With weather-related emergencies, authorities such as the National Weather Service (NWS) and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are generally able to detect severe weather conditions prior to the general public. Through the use of modern weather detection devices, such as Doppler radar and weather satellites, the NWS and NOAA are able to issue early warnings of severe weather conditions which have saved many lives. However, for such warnings to be effective, they must be communicated to their intended recipients.
Certain specialized radios and scanners are capable of receiving emergency alert signals provided by the NWS and NOAA. However, such devices tend to be dedicated to this use, and generally offer consumers little, if any, functionality beyond monitoring these signals. Accordingly, in order to receive advance warning of weather-related emergencies, consumers are required to purchase a separate, dedicated device, which may be cost-prohibitive to some consumers.
Accordingly, there is a need for a device capable of receiving emergency alert signals which avoids the foregoing problems. The present invention addresses these and other issues.